3D Single-Slab and Multi-Slab DWI Using 3D Accelerated MUSER (3D-AccMUSER) with Spectrum Analysis and Variable-Density CAIPI

Motivation: Sliding-slab profile encoding (SLIPEN) as a 3D multi-slab DWI technique with 2D navigator suffers from limited slab thickness and limited SNR. Goal(s): To address the limitation of slab thickness and SNR in SLIPEN and optimize the acceleration. Approach: 3D-MUSER with 3D navigator was combined with sliding-slab technique (3D-ms-AccMUSER) to improve the attainable slab thickness and SNR without suffering slab boundary artifacts. A spectrum-analysis-based variable-density CAIPI pattern is proposed for optimizing the acceleration. Results: The proposed 3D-AccMUSER can achieve flexible slab thickness for improving the SNR efficiency, and clearly depict white-matter structure. Its accelerated version can reduce the scan time by almost three times. Impact: 3D isotropic high-resolution DWI with better SNR efficiency and clear white matter structure can be robustly achieved by our method at 1.5T, therefore benefiting the neuroscience study in evaluating crossing and kissing fibers.